Video Games are bad for Marriages

[Kugyince]

Video games have been blamed as a cause of the breakdown of modern marriages - as spouses become distracted by the 'always on' internet age.

Catholic marriage counselling service Accord said that internet use has been blamed for problems in about 1,000 marriages in the last year.

It said 15 per cent of its clients faced major difficulties as spouses brought extra work home or turned to pornography, online gambling and video games.

The news comes as soap star Kim Marsh said that the game playing of ex-husband and EastEnders actor Jack Ryder left a mark on their marriage.

She's reportedly set to tell Piers Morgan on ITV tonight: "Jack didn't like to go out or socialise. He was really into computer games, which makes him sound about 12... we just weren't getting on. Jack wasn't really a party-goer. He didn't drink."

News: Video games 'ruining marriages' - ComputerAndVideoGames.com

[Slime Slayer]

Maybe you should spread these out a bit Ten.

[DrunkN]

It's true. I think he's trying to pull a new antic on us.

[Kugyince]

I post them when they come to me.

[CatalystiCam]

This is an onslaught of news.

[Kugyince]

Someone got a "word of the day" calendar for their birthday.

[david man45]

That made me laugh Tenser. +1

[Demon-Mask]

Originally Posted by Tenser

Someone got a "word of the day" calendar for their birthday.

It would appear so, it's even spelled right.

[Dudebro]

Wow Tenser got five rate ups for that joke?

Catholic marriage counselling service Accord

Wait, people care what the catholics have to say about this why? Maybe so many catholics are turning to porn because they're so repressed? I guess the gaming could be the same thing.

[Kong]

Originally Posted by Tenser

internet use has been blamed for problems in about 1,000 marriages in the last year.

1,000 isn't very many. How big was their case study? How many marriages had problems last year? Tens of millions in America alone probably.

It said 15 per cent of its clients faced major difficulties as spouses brought extra work home or turned to pornography, online gambling and video games.

That was 3 things that were not video game related problems. The problem probably is not the spouse playing games all day, but why they are playing games in the first place. A symptom not a cause.

She's reportedly set to tell Piers Morgan on ITV tonight: "Jack didn't like to go out or socialise. He was really into computer games, which makes him sound about 12... we just weren't getting on. Jack wasn't really a party-goer. He didn't drink."

Maybe the problem is she publicly said he acted like a 12 year old. I doubt she is treating him with a lot of love and respect at home if that is how she treats him in the gossip column. He is a celebrity chased by paparazzi when he goes out in public. Maybe he wants to escape that. Maybe he doesn't like parties or drinking. The problem sounds like they married the wrong person not that he is playing video games.

You can't use celebrities as examples of average people. By definition they are not normal people.

I hate when people assume not wanting to drink and party is some kind of dysfunction. Introversion is not a disease, it is a personality trait. When I was a kid I saw so many people think this way that I thought there was something wrong with me. I was about 22 when I realized it was OK to want to be quiet and/or alone.

I think it is important that spouses have hobbies that are all their own. Things they don't share. I think most people make the mistake of thinking that marriage means you will have 100% overlap, that all individuality will just disappear and you will merge into a one new person. Complete BS.

[nikegirl2012]

Once again, I agree with Kong. Although I do like going out to parties, well more like reunions, I don't like going out to places with lots of people and noise. So I agree, that isn't the problem. The problem is communication. I have a teacher who loves video games, and I asked him what his wife thinks of this, he told me he talked to her and, although she doesn't play, she understands he likes to and won't bother him about playing an hour a day or so. Why an hour? I'm not sure, but it makes sense. Come to an arrangement with your partner, sometimes you do things that you like, sometimes you do things both of you like, and sometimes you do what your partner likes. That's communication, that's why the marriages didn't work.

I have and agreement with my boyfriend, sort of. He knows I'm not good at video games, but I like them, and he knows I get dizzy playing them or watching them. So I'll let him play while we're together, I'll watch the story and try to help him a little, but when I get too dizzy or hungry, he stops playing and we make something to eat and watch a movie together. Another part of the arrangement, he can't play WOW when I'm with him because he get's too absorbed and it's not something that I can watch the story.

I just hate it when people try to avoid responsibility blaming other things. If they don't know how to communicate, or suddenly realized they made a wrong decision with the person they chose to marry, all of the sudden it's the video games' fault, or they blame something else. People are just to immature and are always looking for the easy way out, or the fastest way to make money with the smallest amount of effort.

Oh well, just another example of another part of society that is totally insane and destroying the rest of us.

[Kugyince]

I thought the article was complete BS as well. Part of the reason why I posted it.

Originally Posted by Kong

I think it is important that spouses have hobbies that are all their own. Things they don't share. I think most people make the mistake of thinking that marriage means you will have 100% overlap, that all individuality will just disappear and you will merge into a one new person. Complete BS.

Yes, but I think the more commonality you have, the more stable you relationship's foundation will be. At least in my experience. I do agree it is unrealistic to expect 100% though.

[Neutral]

Originally Posted by Tenser

[..]Jack wasn't really a party-goer. He didn't drink."
News: Video games 'ruining marriages' - ComputerAndVideoGames.com

[Winnebagel]

Originally Posted by Dudebro

Wow Tenser got five rate ups for that joke?


Wait, people care what the catholics have to say about this why? Maybe so many catholics are turning to porn because they're so repressed? I guess the gaming could be the same thing.

Also, if they play games, they don't have to indulge in self-flagellation as much.

Speaking of which, I'm thinking someone should make a game like that on the Wii, and market it to Catholics. They could probably make a fortune. I'm thinking WiiFlagellate could be really big (in Italy if not the Catholic world). You could even have unlockable whips and instruments of self torture the better you do in the game. Wouldn't that be great? I think I need to work on my game programming skills.

WiipMii could also be an alternate name for the game. Sorry it's still in the early stages. I'll let you guys know how things progress.

[Slime Slayer]

Ladies are wierd, I think in most cases it's got nothing to do with video games and more about the woman feeling like she's loosing touch with her husband. Her Ideal of the relationship is you sit around and do things together. Just being together is supposed to be enough. The ladies get mad at the men for anything they do that doesnt involve them, too much time in the garage, too much time playing basketball, watching wrestling, football. ect. ect. It really has nothing to do with the specific activity.

[Demon-Mask]

So basically you watch the watchdog groups Tenser?

[Kugyince]

Originally Posted by Demon-Mask

So basically you watch the watchdog groups Tenser?

Not really. I'm subscribed to a couple of video game news feeds in my feed reader. When I see something come along that's interesting and is either retro or encompasses all of gaming I like to post it.

[Demon-Mask]

Okay, that makes sense.

[nikegirl2012]

Originally Posted by stevencassidy13

The ladies get mad at the men for anything they do that doesnt involve them, too much time in the garage, too much time playing basketball, watching wrestling, football. ect. ect.

Girls, and boys alike, are insecure people. Girls aren't hard to understand, most of the time. If you talk to your woman enough, she won't mind you doing your own activities. When you do as you please and never talk to her and never tell her about stuff, she'll feel insecure and will want to do everything with you to feel closer to you. I know this from personal experience.

Sometimes it might feel like women want to know where you are at all times, but that's not entirely true. If you tell her you care about her, and give her an idea of where you're going to be, and spend enough time with her, she might even encourage you to go out with your friends. Also, sometimes there are moments that are special to woman that if you ignore that special time she will feel insecure, I don't mean she's PSM. Maybe she has been working hard and finally has time to be with you and you tell her that you already have plans, that makes us feel sad.

This is why I insist that communication is essential. Guys sometimes act macho and won't tell the ladies that they miss them, or that they love them, or that they feel very stressed... women will do the same... therefore the relationship doesn't work because someone feels neglected or feels like their effort is in vain. Get it?

[Slime Slayer]

hahah, nikegirl your a woman. You might be different than the vast majority, but women in general are impossible to figure out, because nothing is ever consistant. If my wife tells me to go out and enjoy a night with my buddies I'll most certainly get a slightly off-handed, sarcastically toned "have fun" on my way out the door, as if by going out I failed her test. Then the next day you better believe she'll bring it up either to make me feel like I owe her, or to just make me feel bad, even though her first idea of suggesting I go out and have fun without her might have been sincere.
I'm lucky that I enjoy spending time with her, and that she also doesnt mind me being in my computer room for hours at a time. Oddly enough, If I'm playing too many games, all I have to say is that their is a tournament going on, and she kinda accepts that as a good reason.

[fungusman]

A bruins fan could be just as bad for a marriage as a gamer. Stop being a dumbass and you'll keep your chick.

[nikegirl2012]

@stevencassidy but this is what I mean... what if... after spending long hours on the computer, you do something special with her, or for her? Tell her, "I know I spent a lot of time on the computer the other day, so why don't we do something nice together?"... or when you go out with your buddies, try to plan ahead, and take her the day before going out with your buddies, or make plans to go out with her a couple of days after your plan to go see your buddies, and after you make plans with her you tell her about going out with your buddies.

I know it might sound confusing... what I mean is, make sure she doesn't feel like you like to hang out with your buddies better than you like to hang out with her by not going out with you buddies more than going out with her.
(I know this might be hard, but, once again, boys, and girls, tend to feel like they carry the whole world on their shoulders, and when we see someone taking time to relax, or looks like someone else doesn't care as much as we care, we get angry. So she might know it's alright for you to go out with your buddies, but part of her feels angry that you went out to have fun and she didn't, or that you had more fun with your buddies than with her)

Although these are the more likely reasons why woman seem to be crazy and one day say one thing and another day say something else... I agree we are all unique and some will actually be crazy. Still, showing some love always makes the receiver feel special.

[Dudebro]

Originally Posted by steven

You might be different than the vast majority, but women in general are impossible to figure out, because nothing is ever consistant.

I disagree. I don't think women are that hard to understand at all. Maybe you don't have as much experience with them? Seriously though women aren't that different from men.

@nikegirl- You seem to have a good understanding of men and women. I'm not sure how old you are but you sound like you are talking from experience. If not you must have a few brothers.

[Slime Slayer]

Originally Posted by Dudebro

I disagree. I don't think women are that hard to understand at all. Maybe you don't have as much experience with them? Seriously though women aren't that different from men.

@nikegirl- You seem to have a good understanding of men and women. I'm not sure how old you are but you sound like you are talking from experience. If not you must have a few brothers.

I think your the one with less experience, because when it comes to women, more time with them = more confusion.

[Tails]

Confusion? I don't get that. Maybe just not compatable.